1. What is spirulina?

Spirulina is the micro-algae that cannot be seen by naked eyes, being multi-cell blue green algae, grown in warm and brackish water, with the properties as alkaline. The strain, researched by more than 30 countries worldwide, is Platensis. The root of “spirulina” comes from Latin as helix or spiral that means the spiral shape like a whorl as Deurben; the German scientist had named it as spirulina in 1927.

2. Why is spirulina called an ideal food of mankind?

Spirulina consists of more concentrated nutrients than any other food, vegetables, seeds or plants, respectively. More than 60 % protein, of which all are easy to digest, having beta-carotene, vitamin B12, folic acid, minerals and essential fatty acids. These elements turn out spirulina to be distinctively different from other food.

3. Are there any researches related to spirulina?

Spirulina has been researched by more than 4,000 scientists worldwide in the past 40 years.

4. Is spirulina safe for consumption?

Spirulina is the bluish green algae with its long history about safety for consumption as the Mexican has consumed spirulina for long time. Recently, spirulina is adapted as food products in more than 70 countries worldwide. Furthermore, UN has suggested it (spirulina) as the ideal food for mankind, and WHO has also intimated spirulina as the safe food with excellent nutrition especially for children.

5. Is there any toxic remained in spirulina?

Spirulina is absolutely free from toxic without any remains of residue. It is consumed for health improvement.

6. How spirulina is different from other natural nutritious food?

Other natural nutritious food possesses different properties for nourishment, whereby some of them must be consumed under the supervision of the physician or in limited quantity to prevent some side effects, which may occur. Undoubtedly, spirulina is the natural food and consumable at any time without any side effect.

7. What is the usefulness of spirulina to body?

The scientists all around the world have studied for more than 40 years and concluded that spirulina has more health benefits to body in the following ways;
1. Enhance immunity or immune response
2. Support heart and reduce cholesterol
3. Help to improve the digestive system
4. Naturally help the detoxification process
5. Reduce the risk of cancer and increase the antioxidant capacity

8. What are the nutritious elements of spirulina?

Spirulina consists of several nutritious elements, which are important for health improvement. These elements are proteins, essential amino acids, non-essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins, fat, sugar, mineral salts and calories.

9. What is the suitability of spirulina?

Spirulina is suitable to use as nutritious food not only for healthy, unhealthy person but also for those who have the following symptoms; easily tired, easy to catch cold, insufficient consumption of green or yellow vegetables, dizziness, lack of some nutrients, skipping of meals like breakfast or person under diet.

10. After being consumed, which factors induce body response against spirulina?

Spirulina uptake is able to cause immediate or slow result of body response, depending on several factors including age, stress, eating habits, chemical residues in body and severity of diseases. Spirulina should be consumed continuously and sufficiently a long with proper exercise and adequate rest.

11. What is the appropriate quantity for consuming spirulina?

The appropriate quantity is based on the suggested quantity, such as the healthy person should take 6 capsules a day, 2 capsules each meal.
Person on diet should take 6 capsules each meal, 3 meals a day before food, etc. However, spirulina can be consumed unlimitedly without any side effects due to its toxic free or any remaining substance.

12. Will the nutritious value be decreased if spirulina powder is removed from capsule?

Removal of spirulina powder from capsule will not decrease the nutritious value. The other way to uptake spirulina is to mix spirulina with milk or juices, etc.

13. Why do some interactions occur after spirulina being consumed?

The body interaction against spirulina, such as skin allergy, mild fever, is only temporary incident, which shall be automatically recovered within 2-3 days. This interaction can be caused by unhealthy and/or insufficient consuming of spirulina. In contrast, there are no side effects on a healthy person. Consumption of spirulina would nourish and balance your health (as seen on page 19).

14. Is it possible to consume spirulina with medicine?

Spirulina is not a medicine, yet it is the natural food containing with 5 groups of essential nutrients. It is, therefore, consumable with other medicines and also helps body absorbing full benefits from medicine.

15. Can the patient at the recovery stage take spirulina?

A patient at the recovery stage needs nutrients in order to comeback at normal stage since spirulina has plenty of several nutrients, which is suitable as food supplement for all patients.

16. How does spirulina benefit to one who insufficiently takes green or yellow vegetables?

Person who does not consumes green or yellow vegetables can take spirulina as food supplement because it consists of vitamins, mineral salts and other pigments, such as chlorophyll, vitamin A, beta-carotene, etc. to substitute the natural compositions from vegetables.

17. Should children take spirulina?

Protein in spirulina will develop and enhance the growth of children. They can consume spirulina by mixing with milk if they cannot directly take the capsule.

18. Can spirulina reduce stress?

Person under stress or mental problems may be influenced by diseases, such as peptic ulcer or hypertension. Those who suffered from such disease should take some sources of food containing large quantity of vitamin B complex, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, which are mostly found in spirulina. It is, therefore, considered as a good source of food supplement for reducing serious illness and strengthening health of all patients.

19. How does spirulina suit for the patient suffering from pepticulcer?

Either the medicine for peptic ulcer treatment consists of chlorophyll, or does spirulina. Due to the property of chlorophyll-contained in spirulina, it can reduce the inflammation of stomach. So, it is believed that spirulina might help treating peptic ulcer.

20. Spirulina and elderly patient

Older person usually has some chronic diseases, such as hypertension, cardiopathy, and some types of cancer, diabetes, gout, cataract, liver disease or renal disease. Spirulina will improve health of the elderly person. Some researches in Japan has found out that more than 70 % of people taking spirulina were over 50 years old, whereby 57 % were female. They mentioned that the purpose of taking spirulina was for treating some diseases, health improvement and food supplement, respectively.
This can be concluded that spirulina is considered as the life-extending medicine for old age, because it can well protect some elderly diseases.

21. Spirulina and youngster

Arginine is an essential amino acid containing in semen for approximately 80 %. Lacking of arginine may cause sexual disability or sterility. Tryptophan is also an amino acid affecting to the confidence of male sexual power. In addition, zinc is a mineral useful for treating abnormal sexual function. As spirulina consists of amino acids, calcium and zinc that resulted to sexual potency. So, spirulina is suitable for both young female and male.

22. Does spirulina help reduce cholesterol?

Recently, it is widely recognized that cholesterol increases the risk of heart attack, which is the most serious problem of public health. Reduction of cholesterol is another way to decrease risk of cardiopathy. Consequently, spirulina is the natural food that helps in reducing cholesterol.
Some researches mentioned that taking spirulina could reduce cholesterol. This may be because body had received GLA (Gamma-linolenic acid), which is mostly found from spirulina.

23. How does spirulina help sportsman?

Sportsman needs more and extra nutrients from any source. According to the composition spirulina, is composed of special concentrated nutrients that are suitable for exercise and hard training. Taking spirulina before training and competition would help energize and strengthen muscle. Because spirulina comprises of more than 60 % of proteins and amino acids, so it helps in reducing calories, which is the important factor for weight control in sports events and competition.

24. What is the usefulness of beta-carotene in spirulina?

Beta-carotene is an anti-cancer substance. Several researches revealed that taking beta-carotene is related to cancer prevention. Beta-carotene is a source of vitamin A, which is mostly found in spirulina 20-25 times more than in carrot. In addition, beta-carotene can help protect chemical substances causing malignant tumor, defending chromosomal changes causing cancer and enhancing immune system. Since beta-carotene exhibits high anti-cancer property, spirulina can be replaced for vegetables or fruits.

25. How does spirulina help digestion and absorption system in the body?

There is one microorganism in human intestine called lactobacillus, which helps in digestion and absorption of food, prevent infection and activate the immunity. With its enormous benefits, spirulina has become a great hit to take lactobacillus as a food supplement. Spirulina can activate lactobacillus in intestine and help improve absorption of vitamin B2. Taking spirulina is useful to increase lactobacillus in intestine and absorption of vitamin B1 and other vitamin.

26. Hepatitis and spirulina

Hepatitis is caused by several factors, such as virus infection, non-hygienic food or allergic side effects from medicine. Currently, the way to treat it is to take sufficient rest and also eat more nutrients and proteins. Spirulina can help to abate chronic and serious hepatitis because it is composed of vitamin B12 and 60-70 % protein; protein is the important factor for hepatitis treatment. Several researches by Japanese physicians found that spirulina can help to abate hepatitis.

27. Spirulina and patient with pancreatitis

Inflamed pancreas is caused by self-digestion of liver, drinking too much liquor, gallstone or eating highly fatty food. The treatment is to solve it at its origin; for instance, if the disease is caused from drinking too much alcohol, stop drinking can prevent it. The other treatment may be carried out by eating food with high nutrients. As spirulina is rich in protein, high digestion rate, low fat, high vitamins and mineral salts. Spirulina shall not cause any problem to digestion in the patients suffering from liver disease (pancreatitis).

28. Spirulina and hair loss

Spirulina is able to reduce rate of hair loss, activate hair growth, as spirulina consists of necessary fatty acids (sometimes called vitamin F), including linoleic acid and arachidonic acid which are the important fatty acids for nourishing hair, skin and nail. Meanwhile, they are useful to hair root, leading to the beauty of hair.

29. How does spirulina help to treat anemia?

Spirulina consists of high protein, chlorophyll, vitamin B12 and folic acid; therefore, it is able to increase the quantity and efficiency of red blood cells, which will result in more exchange of oxygen for better circulation within 30 days. Spirulina also gives excellent nutritive values to the patients who long time- lack nutrients and improves health by providing sufficient vitamin E, B12 and folic acid.

30. Optic problem and spirulina

At present, more old age people suffer from ophthalmic problems, such as cataract, abnormal retina and the symptom of other diseases, such as diabetes and anemia. Several tests from Japanese physicians were found that spirulina could help treat cataract and stop the development of the disease that affects vision. In the hypertensive patient or clogged blood vessels in retina, spirulina can be taken with medicine for better results.

31. Is spirulina easily digested in human body?

95 % of spirulina can be easily digested in human body as spirulina has thin cell membrane and consists of proteins, polysaccharides, and enzymes that can be quickly dissolved into body. It is, therefore, considered as easily digestive food. Spirulina is suited to those who have problems about digestion or esophageal including also those old age people.

32. Can we eat only spirulina as food?

Spirulina is rich and full of nutritious values yet human body should consume different kinds of food and should not consume only one type of food to prevent any lack of nutrient. Spirulina should be consumed together with food or as food supplement to enhance body health.

33. Is it true that spirulina is useful for all age?

Spirulina is useful for people of all age; for instance, spirulina is easily digested in the old age person, whereas the sportsman shall receive great energy from spirulina. Children would receive nutritive values for their growth, or the pregnant women will get folic acid and protein from spirulina, etc.

34. Is spirulina internationally accepted?

Spirulina has been accredited and certified by the leading institutes of the world, such as;
1967: “The International Conference on Applied Microbiology” has announced that “Spirulina must be considered as an important future food source”.
1974: UN has announced in the World Food Conference that spirulina was “The most ideal food for mankind”.
1974: FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) has introduced that spirulina was “The best food for tomorrow”.
1981: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) of USA has certified that spirulina is “The healthy and safety product free from side effects”.
1983: IFE (International Food Exposition) held in East German has awarded the prize “The best natural food” to spirulina.
1992: WHO (World Health Organization) has introduced that spirulina was “The healthy product in 21st decade”.

35. Does the manufacturer of spirulina achieve the standard?

The manufacturing unit of spirulina is Advanced Spirulina Biotechnology Co., Ltd, located at 351, Moo 1, Tambon Sala, Amphur Koh Kha, Lampang, 52130. The head office is at 444, Olympia Thai Tower, 10th Floor, Ratchadapisek Road, Samsennok, Huaykwang, Bangkok, 10320. It is the international standard company duly established on 1 April 1999 with the initial registered capital 1,000,000 Bahts. Recently, its registered capital has increased to 25,000,000 Bahts, which has led the company to fluently operate its business and been recently supported and also promoted by the Board of Investment. All products under the name of Advanced Spirulina Biotechnology (ASB) has been strictly examined through laboratory tests, which are more than 20 steps under the high experienced QC control team works throughout the manufacturing processes to ensure that the consumer will be served with high nutritive value products according to the international standard in every respect.

36. Is there any organization to certify the correctness?

Spirulina from Advanced Spirulina Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is served with high quality and standard, and has been certified by FDA No. 52-1-02643-1-0002 to certify the safety for consumption and by the Islamic Institute according to the Halal certificate No. 471(8)/2543 from the ICOT.

37. How about the service system within the organization?

There are several types of activities within the organization, such as 5C activities, GMP, HACCP and ISO 9001: 2000 standards.

38. Which organization has been supported the company?

Advanced Spirulina Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has been promoted from BOI and Small Industrial Finance Corporation, and is also the member of Traditional Medicine Manufacturer and Seller Association (Thailand).

39. How the consumers can rely on the products?

The consumer can rely on the products, which have been passed through the modern manufacturing process with automatic and semi-automatic machines of ultramodern technology. The company can certify that the products has achieved the standard, safety and high quality as guaranteed by the reward of the best factory for food and beverage industry in 2000 and 2002 from the factory contest office duly consisted with the representative from 5 ministries to ensure the manufacturing quality of the company.

40. The policy of the company

The goal of Advanced Spirulina Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is to manufacture and distribute food supplement products extracted from spirulina algae by emphasizing the efficiency and improvement of the product, proposing new products to correspond with the demand of dynamic market, being the leader in both domestic and international spirulina market and the leader in development, breeding and technology from new innovation.

Spirulina should be taken as food to supplement the insufficient nutrients daily and able to take with medicine or other food supplements.

41. Can children and pregnant woman women take spirulina capsules?

Children should take at least 2 capsules a day by taking with milk in the morning and evening. Pregnant women should be advised by physicians before taking spirulina capsules.

42. Should we take spirulina capsules before or after meals?

Spirulina capsules are nutritional supplements, which can be taken before or after meals. However, they should be taken 30 minutes before meals to get the best absorption.

43. Can patients with heart disease, impaired kidney function, cancer or AIDS undergoing conventional therapy take spirulina capsules?

Patients should take medicine as prescribed by physicians and take spirulina capsules as nutritional supplements for health improvement and renew body cells. The spirulina capsules may be taken alternately with conventional medicines. For example, if the patients take the medicines after meals, they may take the spirulina capsules before meals. If they take the medicines both before and after meals, they may take the spirulina capsules at bedtime.

44. How to take spirulina capsules to lose weight or firm body?

During the first week, take 3 spirulina capsules 30 minutes before meals, then increase the amount by taking 5-6 capsules in the second week, and maintain the amount of 6 capsules before each meal, three meals a day for 6 months. Within the first month, limit the amount of diet, for example, after taking 5 capsules with 2 glasses of water, you will feel full and then you may skip the meal while receiving plenty of nutrients from spirulina. However, you should eat at least one meal a day. If you feel hungry between meals, you should take some fruits, such as guava to limit the intake calories. This will help you gradually losing weight at least 4-6 kg within 3 months.

45. The label on the bottle said “contained 100% spirulina” What does it mean?

Each capsule contain 100% spirulina powder. This means that spirulina powder is 500 mg, and capsule shell is about 100 mg approximately. The content in the capsule is 100% spirulina. Other types of products, excluding our spirulina capsule, may contain starch as filler, therefore; consumers would inevitably receive starch and may risk to molds or fungi growing with the moisture in the starch. Some tablets are protected from mold by waxing.

46. A different between drug and dietary supplement

The term “drug” means articles using for diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease in human being or other animals; and pharmaceuticals or partially processed pharmaceuticals that intended to affect the structures or functions of human body or other animals.
Drug is known as one of the four essentials of life. Although the use of drug is generally beneficial, it can have some severe side effects or adverted effects to some extents. It is important to take with caution and consult to physicians or pharmacists before taking any drug.
“Dietary supplement” is not a “drug”. It generally contains an optimal combination of nutrients from natural sources. It is good source for correcting nutritional deficiency as well as promoting health. Minor side effects from using dietary supplement may happen, especially when compared to drug. Allergic reaction to dietary supplement may sometimes be rare and mild.
To get the most benefit from taking dietary supplement, it is advised to consult experts or search for more information.
There are examples of dietary supplement from natural sources including spirulina, wheat germs and cereals, which are good sources of plant proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, to achieve optimal health, it is recommended to have a balanced diet, doing regular exercises, avoid stress and take some good rests.

47. What are the company policies related to quality control and how can the company control the quality of the products?

The company’s vision is to be the best healthcare product provider for Thai people. The company recognizes the importance of setting up the quality assurance system in order to win the confidence and build trust of customers in health food products manufactured by the company. This can be achieved by operating and applying various stages of quality control including GMP, HACCP and ISO 9001.
Notes: -
- GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) establishes the criteria of guidelines essential for manufacturing and quality control in order to be complied by manufacturers ensuring safe manufacturing practice of food.
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is the system for hazard analysis and control of critical points in order to protect the consumers from any harmfulness. This may be termed as CCP in abbreviation. It refers to strict monitoring of every critical point ascertaining that the food is safe for consumers according to the international standards for quality assurance in manufacturing and service industries.
- CODEX, in food manufacturing, there are several steps in manufacturing and quality control in order to produce food safely and can be trusted by the customers according to the International Food Guidelines or CODEX. The company follows Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) of food, therefore; it can be reassured that the company can produce high quality food without any contamination, which may be harmful to the consumers. CODEX is the abbreviation of FAO/WHO commission known as Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Codex Alimentarius comes from Latin words meaning food code. Thus, in general sense, Codex Alimentarius means international guidelines and regulations related to food.

48. Which organization supports the company?

The manufacturer of spirulina was set up by standard procedures and was supported by Board of Investment (BOI) and Financial Institute for Small to Medium Enterprises.
The spirulina was manufactured under high standards and received the Award for Distinction in Food and Drink Industry of the year 2000 and 2002 from Ministry of Industry. Thus, the consumers can trust our products undergoing modern manufacturing technology.

49. How does the company improve its organizing management?

In the present world, things change quickly resulting in “endless demand for satisfaction of the customers”. The company has developed its organizing management and administration by having consulting services for customers and personal training in the most efficient manner. The company acquires a team of professional consultants with high levels of intellectual power and expertise in order to respond to the demand and customer satisfaction.

50. What are the future plans of the company?

The company is improving its potency in all aspects in order to be the leader in manufacturing spirulina in a complete cycle. In addition, our company has the standard algae culturing ponds with the Award of Distinction in the year 2000 and 2002 for raising enough quantity of raw materials for producing health food. The company is now in the stage of initiating the SPA HEALTH & BEAUTY RESORT. The company also produces 15 natural beauty products, such as spirulina shampoo and hair conditioners, spirulina facial and body scrub, spirulina whitening mask and spirulina nourishing mask. Besides, the company has developed the additional 16 health and beauty products containing mixture of spirulina and various herbs for export. The company has the confidence to provide complete service to customers since we are ready to be the leader in the spirulina business.